Reply to Feedback about the newly split Roberto Clemente and Martin Luther King middle school magnet programs

Forum Index » Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS)

Reply to "Feedback about the newly split Roberto Clemente and Martin Luther King middle school magnet programs"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]We loved the Magnet trips. There are a number of parents who will anonymously donate to cover any costs. The magnet secretary and coordinator will say that they are short by x number of dollars, and people will be ready to donate.

Don't worry about paying for it. You can certainly do carwashes and bake sales and sponsorships for it too. We were told to save $15 a week from the 6th grade and that was more than sufficient. However there are tons of money because MD state gives a lot of money to the school for special programs, and even when the school spreads it for everyone, there is a lot of money in the school which they do not want to spend on these students.
[/quote]

I just can't support the idea that it's fine and appropriate to have an unnecessary >$1000 field trip on grounds that affluent parents with kids in the magnet program are willing to pay for the magnet-program kids who have non-affluent parents.[/quote]

Are you a magnet parent?  We are URM and less than affluent. I am glad that my kid was exposed to amazing opportunities and possibilities within the magnet program, which was partly financed by the magnet parents who were able to contribute. We could afford to pay a fraction but the rest was handled beautifully by the magnet coordinator and the magnet secretary.  These kinds of pathways are closed to my child in normal programs.  I am sure that my child will be able to pay it forward in life by the virtue of being nurtured within the program by not only the program. the teachers but also his peers and their parents.

I am very aware that affluent people cam afford to give all kinds of enrichment to their children, regardless of if such a program exists or not.  Magnet programs remain the one avenue for the non-affluent parents to give these children a taste of these kinds of opportunities.  I would also say that UpCounty programs are unluke Takoma Park and Eastern where the parents are influential and affluent.  Most parents at Clemente were LMC or MC at best.  The very first day of the school the parents group advised us to start saving a small amount every single month, because most people were unable to swing $1300 without budgeting for it.

I think you cannot support this idea is perhaps because it rankles you that my brilliant URM child is getting an opportunity in life which you would he rather not get. Sorry, but you can stew somewhere else. 
[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics